Organic Food

The gig: Craig McNamara is a sustainable farming expert, organic walnut farmer in the Sacramento Valley town of Winters, founder of the nonprofit Center for Land-Based Learning and the California Farm Academy, and president of the state Board of Food and Agriculture, which advises state officials on farming policies. Organic food basket: At his Sierra Orchards, Craig McNamara makes extensive use of pro-environment and conservation techniques as he grows 450 acres of organic walnuts, presses organic olive oil from 150 trees that are more than a century old and helps his son raise hops for a local craft beer.

Under a bill approved by the California Legislature and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown, landlords who allow pets in their buildings cannot advertise in a way that discourages cats with claws or dogs that bark. ALSO: The case for organic food Photo gallery: Ted Rall cartoons McManus: Can Obama energize youthful voters again? Follow Ted Rall on Twitter @TedRall

A federal judge Tuesday questioned a central part of Whole Foods Market Inc.'s argument that it should be permitted to buy rival Wild Oats Markets Inc. The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit in federal court to block the $585-million deal, claiming that the two companies compete in a specific market of natural and organic food and that their combination will lead to reduced service and increased prices. David T.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been selling non-organic food products that were misrepresented as organic, according to a legal complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Cornucopia Institute alleges that Wal-Mart has been using "in-store signage" to misidentify conventional produce and dairy products as organic. Wal-Mart said the charges, coming from a group that has opposed Wal-Mart in the past, shouldn't be taken seriously.

I recently took to this blog to 'fess up. Although I care deeply about the food I consume, I wrote that I wouldn't be voting for Proposition 37 , which would label most food containing genetically modified ingredients. It's not that I don't support transparency or a consumer's right to know what's in his or her food. Quite the opposite. But I questioned whether it makes sense to focus our attention on GMOs, which unlike tobacco have no proven health risks (at least according to credible scientific research)

Campbell Soup Co., maker of canned soups and packaged cookies, is moving in a fresher and more healthful direction with its $1.55-billion purchase of Bakersfield, Calif.-based Bolthouse Farms. Now approaching its 100th anniversary, Bolthouse was among the first to sell baby carrots and is also known for its refrigerated salad dressings and so-called super-premium juices. The operation sells products under the Bolthouse Farms, Earthbound Farms and Green Giant brands and in the most recent fiscal year brought in sales of $689 million.

For a different twist on Valentine's Day, you can "Say It With Flours" and make an environmental statement along with your pledge of affection. Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet, a national nonprofit environmental group, is offering a gift package of three varieties of organic flour from organic farming pioneer Arrowhead Mills in Hereford, Texas, along with special recipes from New York's Union Square Cafe, which features regionally grown food.